Optically active N-Boc-2-amino-2-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid esters are compounds useful as starting materials or intermediates for the synthesis of agrochemicals, medicinal chemicals and so forth. Known as a method of producing an optically active N-Boc-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid ester is the method for the production thereof from unsaturated esters via the Sharpless dihydroxylation reaction (cf. Non-Patent Document 1).
However, any method has not been found out yet for the production of optically active N-Boc-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid esters by asymmetrically reducing the corresponding N-Boc-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-oxopropionic acid esters.
Non-Patent Document 1: Monica Alonso et al., Organic Process Research & Development, 9, 690-693, 2005